Sofa bed folding fixture

ABSTRACT

A four-section rise-over sofa bed fixture, the four sections being designated the head section, the body section, the intermediate section, and the foot section, having at each side thereof a first arm pivoted for swinging movement in the sofa frame toward the rear thereof, a head section support link interconnecting the first arm and the rearward end of the body section, a second arm pivoted for swinging movement in the sofa frame toward the front thereof, a bellcrank pivoted on the side of the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of the second arm and having its rear and front ends connected, respectively, to the head section support link and one end of the bellcrank, a folding leg at the outer end of the body section, a link connecting the other end of the bellcrank and the folding leg, and a linkage interconnecting the first arm and the bellcrank comprising a crank arm pivoted on the side of the body section, a link interconnecting the first arm and the crank arm, and a link interconnecting the crank arm and the bellcrank.

United States Patent Eaklns Jan. 25, 1972 SOFA BED FOLDING FIXTURE Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg Inventor Paul w Eakins St Louis MO Attorney-Keenig, Senniger, Powers and Leavitt [73] Assignee: Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company, ABSTRACT Louis A four-section rise-over sofa bed fixture, the four sections [22] Filed: June 4, 1970 being designated the head section, the body section, the intermediate section, and the foot section, having at each side [21] PP N05 43,340 thereof a first arm pivoted for swinging movement in the sofa frame toward the rear thereof, a head section support link in- 521 US. Cl ..5/13, 5/29 "cmmecfing the first arm and rearward end [51] Int. Cl... ..A47c 17/14 Section, a Second arm pivoted for swinging movement in the 58 Field of Search ..5/13, 18, 2s, 29 Sofa frame mwmd fmm there, bellcrank Pivoted the side of the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends [56]: References Cited at the upper end of the second arm and having its rear and front ends connected, respectively, to the head section sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS port link and one end of the bellcrank, a folding leg at the outer end of the body section, a link connecting the other end 3,150,384 3.11011 of the bellcrank and the folding g, and a linkage intercon MlkOS 3 acting first arm and the bellcrank p i g a crank arm 3298941 1/1967 Rogers "ms/13 pivoted on the side of the body section, a link interconnecting 3 7 H1965 9 3 the first arm and the crank arm, and a link interconnecting the 3,300,792 1/1967 Spitz... ..5/l3 crank arm and the bencrank 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEn JAN25 m2 SHEET 1 BF 2 ij mwam l H DE Lia

SOFA BED FOLDING FIXTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sofa beds, and more particularly to a folding fixture for a sofa bed.

The invention is especially concerned with a folding fixture for a sofa bed of the type referred to in the art as a four-section rise-over fixture, comprising a head section, a body section, an intermediate section and a foot section (the outer section) pivoted together end-to-end. When unfolded, the fixture extends horizontally forward from adjacent the back of the sofa over the front rail of the sofa, the foot, intermediate and body sections being supported on legs which unfold as the fixture is swung out of the sofa and unfolded. The fixture is adapted for folding over of the foot section on top of the body section and retraction of the entire fixture into the sofa with the head section extending upward within the back of the sofa, the body section extending generally horizontally forward from the lower end of the head section, the intermediate section extending upward from the forward end of the body section immediately behind the front rail of the base of the sofa, and the foot section extending horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section. The foot sectionthen constitutes a support for the seat cushion or cushions of the sofa. In extending the fixture for use as a bed, after removal of the seat cushion or cushions of the sofa, the intermediate section is pulled up from behind the front rail and the fixture is swung out over the front rail, rising over the front rail (hence the description of the fixture as a rise-over fixture) to extend the head section, and body section, after which the foot section and intermediate section are unfolded. It will be understood that the fixture comprises two suitably cross-connected opposite side assemblies with a bedspring structure extending therebetween for supporting a mattress, and that, in folding up the fixture, the mattress is correspondingly folded, and is retracted, in its folded condition, into the sofa along with the fixture.

Fixtures of the type above described are well known in the art and have now been on the market for a number of years, but have presented a problem in being limited as to the length of mattress which may be used on the fixture unless used in a sofa having a deeper frame than is desirable for style. Thus, as to prior four-section rise-over fixtures, when it is attempted to use a longer mattress (e.g., a mattress having a length of from 72 inches to 75 inches) on a fixture in a sofa bed of acceptable depth stylewise, and the mattress is folded over with the foot and intermediate sections of the fixture for retraction into the sofa, it is found that the outer end of the mattress chokes up against the portion of the mattress occupying the head section of the fixture when the fixture is swung into the sofa, and this makes it too difficult, if not impossible, to swing the folded frame (and mattress) to retracted position in the sofa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of an improved four-section rise-over sofa bed fixture of the class above described which is adapted to carry a relatively long mattress (e.g., a mattress having a length of from 72 inches to 75 inches) while being used in a relatively shallow sofa frame; the provision of such a fixture which is easily and smoothly folded into the sofa and easily and smoothly extended and unfolded; the provision of such a fixture which may be used in the loose pillow type of sofa or in the tight upholstered back type of sofa; and the provision of such a fixture with an improved locking arrangement for pulling the foot section down toward the body section when the fixture is swung into the sofa frame.

In general, a folding fixture made in accordance with this invention comprises a head section, a body section, an intermediate section and a foot section pivotally connected together end-to-end. At each side thereof the fixture has a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at a respective side of the base, a first arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa, a head section support link interconnecting the first arm and the pivotal interconnection between the head section and the body section, a second arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of said first arm, a bellcrank pivoted on the side of the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotally interconnected with said head section support link and its other end constituting its front end pivotally interconnected with one end of the bellcrank, a linkage interconnecting said first arm and said bellcrank, a folding leg for supporting the body section actuated by said bellcrank, and a folding leg for supporting the foot section actuated by a link from the intermediate section. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of one end of a sofa frame having a fixture of this invention installed therein, the sofa frame being shown in section, the fixture being shown in its folded condition within the sofa frame;

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the fixture completely unfolded; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the fixture in an intermediate position.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a four-section rise-over folding fixture of this invention for a sofa, the frame of which is indicated generally at 3. The fixture has first, second, third and fourth sections 5, 7, 9 and 11 pivotally connected together end-to-end. The first section 5, which may be referred to as the head section, is shown as including a pair of side bars, one of which appears in the drawings and which is designated 13. It will be readily understood that the rail at the other side of the fixture is similar. The second section 7, which may be referred to as the inner or body section, comprises a pair of side bars one of which is shown at 15. The third section 9, which may be referred to as the intermediate section, comprises a pair of side bars one of which is shown at 17. The fourth section 11, which may be referred to as the outer or foot section, comprises a pair of side bars, one of which is indicated at 19 It will be readily understood by those conversant with the art that a mattress-supporting bedspring (not shown) spans the side bars, the bedspring being connected at its sides to the side bars, and that there may be crossbars between certain of the side bars, e.g., a crossbar 21 serving as a handle extending between the side bars 19 of the outer section at the outer ends of these bars.

The sofa frame 3, as herein illustrated, comprises a base 23 on legs 25, a back frame structure 27, a front rail 29 and end frames 31. The back frame structure, as shown, comprises a vertical back frame 33 and an inclined front frame 35 having a lower horizontal member 37 extending between the end frames with the bottom edge of member 37 at an elevation somewhat above the elevation of the top edge of the front rail 29. The front and back frames 35 and 33 of the sofa back frame structure 27 define a chamber 39.

The fixture 1 has at each side thereof a support such as indicated at 41 which is adapted to be mounted in the base 23 of the sofa at a respective side thereof. This support 41 is constituted by an elongate metal plate 43 which is mounted in position extending horizontally on the inside of the respective end frame 31 of the sofa frame (it will be understood that there are two such plates, one at each side of the fixture). Extending up from the plate adjacent one end constituting its rearward end and in a vertical plane immediately rearward of member 37 of the frame of the sofa is a post 45. A first arm 47 generally of S-shape is pivoted for swinging movement at 49 on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa at the upper end of the post.

The pivotal pin connection between the head section 5 and the body section 7 is indicated at 51. The pivotal pin connection between the body section 7 and the intermediate section 9 is indicated at 53, and the pivotal pin connection between the intermediate section 9 and the foot section 1 1 is indicated at 55. A head section support link 57 interconnects arm 47 and the pivotal interconnection 51 between the head section 5 and the body section 7. This link 57 is pin connected to the arm 47 at its free end as indicated at 59. The side bars 13 of the head section are connected at their rear ends by a crossbar (not shown) and this assembly constitutes a so-called TV headrest section adapted to be supported from the support links 57 in any suitable manner. A second arm 61 is pivoted for swinging movement on the plate 43 at 63 about a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the pivotal axis of the first arm 47, pivot 63 being located adjacent the front end of plate 43. A bellcrank 65 is pivoted at 67 on the outside of bar of the body section 7 at about midway of the length of the latter. A lever 69 is pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of arm 61 as indicated at 71. Lever 69 has its rearward end 73 angled down toward the head section support link 57 and pivotally interconnected with the latter by a pin at 75. The front end of lever 69 is pivotally interconnected with the upper end of the bellcrank by a pin at 77. A linkage generally designated 79 interconnects arm 47 and the bell crank 65. This linkage 79 comprises a crank arm 81 pivoted at 83 on a bracket 85 on the outside of side bar 15 of the body section 7 adjacent its rearward end, a link 87 interconnecting arm 47 and the crank arm 81, and a link 89 interconnecting the crank arm 81 and the bell crank 65. Link 87 is pin-connected to arm 47 at 90, inwardly of the pin at 59. Link 89 is pin-connected to bellcrank 65 at 92, between the bellcrank pivot 67 and the pin connection 77 A folding leg 91 is pivoted at 93 on the side of the body section 7 adjacent its front end and a folding leg 95 is pivoted at 97 on the outside of the side bar 19 of foot section 11 adjacent its front end for supporting the body section 7, the intermediate section 9 and the foot section 11. A link 99 interconnects the lower end of the bellcrank 65 and leg 91 for folding and unfolding the latter. A link 101 is interconnected between the outside of the side bar 17 of the intermediate section 9 at 103 and the upper end of leg 95 at 105 for folding and unfolding the latter.

Means is provided for locking the foot section 11 down against the expansion tendency of the folded mattress when the fixture 1 is folded into the sofa frame (as shown in FIG. 1).

This means comprises a bellcrank 107 pivoted at 53 on the and slot connection at the other end with the bellcrank 107.

The pin of the first of these connections is on the link 99, being indicated at 111, and the slot, indicated at 113, is in the link 109. The pin of the second of these connections is on the link 109, being indicated at 115, and the slot, indicated at 117, is in the bellcrank 107. A link 119 interconnects the upper end of the bellcrank 107 and the foot section 11 at 121 adjacent the pivot 55. The bellcrank has a lateral ear 122 at its lower end engageable with the link 119 as appears in FIG. 3. The arrangement is such that when the fixture 1 is swung into the sofa frame 3 from the FIG. 3 position of the fixture, the pin 115 moves to the right end of the slot 117 and the bell crank 107 acts via link 119 to pull the foot section 11 toward the body section 7.

A link 123 has a pin connection at 125 with the side bar 17 of the intermediate section 9 and a pin and slot connection at 127 with the side bar 15 of the body section 7. A counterbalance spring is indicated at 129 connected between a lower end extension 131 of arm 61 and the plate 43.

FIG. 1 shows the four-section rise-over frame 1 in its fully folded position within the sofa frame 3. In this position, the

arm 47 extends back and up from its pivot 49 in back of the member 37 into the chamber 39, and the head section support link 57 extends up at the back of the sofa to its connection at 59 with the free end of the ann 47. The body section 7 extends forward from the lower end of head section 5 generally horizontally at the bottom of the sofa frame 3. The intermediate section 9 extends upward from the forward end of the body section 7 immediately behind the front rail 29 of the sofa frame 3. The foot section 11 extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section 9 just below the level of the upper edge of the front rail 29, and is held locked down upon the mattress (not shown), which is folded upon itself between the foot section and the body section at the intermediate section with its head end portion folded up on the front side of the head section 13 extending up into the chamber 39. The foot section 11 is held locked down by the link 119.

The fixture is unfolded by pulling up on the intermediate section 9 to move it up out of the sofa frame from behind the front rail 29, which causes the parts to assume a position such as shown in FIG. 2, with the foot section 11 still folded over relative to the body section 7, and with these two sections angled upward and forward, and with leg 91 partly unfolded. Then the foot and body sections, still folded, are swung out over the front rail 29 to the point where the body section 7 extends horizontally forward as shown in FIG. 2 and the leg 91 is fully unfolded with its lower end engaging the floor. Then the foot section 11 and the intermediate section 9 are unfolded to their extended position of FIG. 2 in line with the body section. Leg unfolds to its vertical position shown in FIG. 2 with its lower end engaging the floor. As will be readily understood, folding up of the frame involves the reverse of the above procedure.

The fixture 1 as above described may carry a relatively long mattress (e.g., a mattress having a length of from 72 inches to 75 inches) while being used in a relatively shallow sofa bed frame, and still is easily and smoothly folded into the sofa and easily and smoothly extended and unfolded. Thus, it may be used in a sofa frame having a depth, for example, of about 30 inches (the depth of the frame being the distance from the inside of the front rail 29 to the inside ofthe member 37). There is no choking of the foot end of the mattress against the por tion of the mattress lying against the head section 13. The locking means for the foot section is more positive and stronger than prior comparable locking arrangements, and its action complements the folding up of the legs 91.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in'the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a head section, a body section, an intermediate section and a foot section pivotally connected together end-to-end, said fixture having at each side thereof:

a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at a respective side of the base,

a first arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa,

a head section supp rt link interconnecting said first arm and the pivotal interconnection between the head section and the body section,

a second arm pivoted forswinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of said first arm,

a bellcrank pivoted on the side of the body section,

a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotally interconnected with said head section support link and its other end constituting its front end pivotally interconnected with one end of the bellcrank,

a linkage interconnecting said first arm and said bellcrank,

a folding leg for supporting the body section actuated by said bellcrank, and

a folding leg for supporting the foot section actuated by a link from the intermediate section.

2. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said linkage comprises a crank arm pivoted on the side of the body section, a link interconnecting said first arm and said crank arm, and a link interconnecting said crank arm and said bellcrank.

3. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said head supporting link is pin-connected to said first arm at the free end of said first arm, and the link interconnecting said first arm and said crank arm is pin-connected to said first arminwardly from its free end.

4. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 3 wherein said crank arm is pivoted on the body section adjacent the pivotal interconnection of the head section and the body section.

5. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 4 wherein the link interconnecting said crank arm and said bellcrank is pin-connected to the bellcrank at a point between the pivot of the bellcrank and the pivotal interconnection between the front 

1. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a head section, a body section, an intermediate section and a foot section pivotally connected together end-to-end, said fixture having at each side thereof: a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at a respective side of the base, a first arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa, a head section support link interconnecting said first arm and the pivotal interconnection between the head section and the body section, a second arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of said first arm, a bellcrank pivoted on the side of the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotally interconnected with said head section support link and its other end constituting its front end pivotally interconnected with one end of the bellcrank, a linkage interconnecting said first arm and said bellcrank, a folding leg for supporting the body section actuated by said bellcrank, and a folding leg for supporting the foot section actuated by a link from the intermediate section.
 2. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said linkage comprises a crank arm pivoted on the side of the body section, a link interconnecting said first arm and said crank arm, and a link interconnecting said crank arm and said bellcrank.
 3. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said head supporting link is pin-connected to said first arm at the free end of said first arm, and the link interconnecting said first arm and said crank arm is pin-connected to said first arm inwardly from its free end.
 4. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 3 wherein said crank arm is pivoted on the body section adjacent the pivotal interconnection of the head section and the body section.
 5. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 4 wherein the link interconnecting said crank arm and said bellcrank is pin-connected to the bellcrank at a point between the pivot of the bellcrank and the pivotal interconnection between the front end of said lever and the bellcrank.
 6. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 1 having means for locking the foot section in its folded position comprising a locking bellcrank pivoted at the forward end of the body section, a link having a pin and slot connection with the said leg-actuating link and a pin and slot connection with said locking bellcrank, and a pulling link interconnecting said locking bellcrank and said foot section. 